[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian":3,"chapter-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-429":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Game as a Barbarian",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1327499,1764,"Chapter 429: Ice Like This (4)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-429",429,"\u003Cp>The moment [Elemental Barbarian] was activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「The character’s body is imbued with the Wind Spirit.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A translucent wind starts to swirl around my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though we couldn’t exchange a word, not even a glance, I could sense what Erwen was aiming for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Evasion bonus applied to all damage.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An evasion bonus that activates based on probability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, this evasion bonus reaches its maximum probability when applied to attacks classified as magic damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why this condition is attached to the mode itself, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Magic damage received is doubled.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The risk was too great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 50% chance of dodging? Sounds good, but if you get hit, and the damage is doubled, it could lead to even greater danger, considering the game’s mechanics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whiiiish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…the die was already cast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the only thing I could do was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…wait for the result.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whiiiiish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that split second that could decide everyone’s fate…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result was immediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has successfully evaded the attack.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Earth Spike], which had been flying towards me with enough force to pierce through my body, is deflected by a gust of wind, barely grazing my skin as its trajectory changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…it crashes into the ceiling with a deafening roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind that had been swirling around me subsides, leaving behind a sense of relief that makes my heart pound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia’s natural energy is completely depleted.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「[Elemental Barbarian] is deactivated.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, that’s all she had left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I’ll think about this later.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I roll on the ground, still holding Erwen in my arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? She’s not calling me ‘Mister’?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden change in her address is strange, but I don’t dwell on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her condition is more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know it’ll be hard, but can you hold off that ability user over there? You just have to keep him busy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I can do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good, that settles that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I turn around, I feel an impact on my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who taught me the meaning of a comrade’s death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I block his attacks, which seem random but are filled with a certain momentum, and I think…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I thought I would be overjoyed…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I’m not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it’s understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to sacrifice so much to get here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… You… How are you so persistent?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the one who chased me all the way here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This ends now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He puts more power into his attacks, his sword a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of his strength is obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not just his grudge against me, he knows that he has to kill me to survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation is simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, barely conscious, is using her last reserves of strength to keep the ability user at bay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Emily! Is he taken care of?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Obviously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia is fighting the bald pugilist, Repeles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And everyone else is down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some are still alive, but they’re just clinging to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They can’t fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This battle will decide the victor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I push back his sword with my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My Resistance stats might be lowered because of the backlash, but my Strength is still intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stumbles back, caught off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve figured out his condition from blocking his attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s my turn now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I charge at him, roaring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s pointless, my active skill [Wild Release] is sealed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But I can’t fight without it anymore.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swing my hammer with all my might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retreats, dodging my attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then he thrusts his sword at the opening I created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s experienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That makes him predictable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword pierces my side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reduced Resistance stats make the pain unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puk-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could have dodged it, but that would have prolonged the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whiik.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pull out the sword and extend my arm, ignoring the pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My target is his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m much stronger than him. Once I grab him, he won’t be able to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he knows that too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly retreats, abandoning his weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was I worried about a feint for nothing?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were me, I would have pretended to pick up the sword and then turned around to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, he’s a swordsman, so it can’t be helped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, but if the sword is that important to him, he could have sacrificed an arm to retrieve it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Maybe he has something else planned.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m not underestimating him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s always better to be cautious than arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swing my hammer, keeping my distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tadat-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retreats again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the process repeats several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His back hits the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the same time, his eyes widen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This bastard… he didn’t even consider the wall?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no hidden strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just desperately dodging my attacks, and he ended up cornered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hammer strikes his left shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He groans and tries to escape to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swing my hammer again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s aimed at his head, but he throws himself to the side, dodging the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left leg is crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaargh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t feel any satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six, the woman I killed earlier, had remained calm even as her skull was being crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy is acting like a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because of a… a weakling like you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his will to survive is impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drag, drag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drags his mangled leg and crawls away from me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s heading towards the bald guy who’s fighting Amelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is he hoping for help?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stomp on his back, stopping him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he finally realizes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…K-kill me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grits his teeth and says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s not begging for his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would have been truly pathetic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glance at Amelia, who’s still fighting, and make my decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s end this quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember Riol Worb Dwarkey?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kkeuk, kkeu, heh heh heh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckles, as if he’s found my weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re talking about that half-assed mage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mage who died in the labyrinth, his body unrecovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day we held a funeral for him, only a few of his belongings present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made a vow that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That I would tell him this, if I ever got the chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just listen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smash his remaining shoulder with my hammer and speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Riol Worb Dwarkey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took almost three years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That half-assed mage who saved us all in the maze.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a long time coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He didn’t lose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t lose to you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I’m killing you now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He won. Do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is that his last shred of pride?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turn him over and force his head to nod with my foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it finally over?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t feel real, but it seems so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, that’s enough…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Die, you bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_______________________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the Dragonslayer, I crushed the bald pugilist’s head with my hammer, working together with Amelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Manua Repeles has been slain.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next was the ability user, who had been struggling to avoid Erwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Cale Elbad Jeneger has been slain.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, all the enemy leaders were dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment my mind registered that fact…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat of the fierce battle drained from my body, and the frigid air wrapped around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa—.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the enemy gone, the surroundings were quiet, as if a storm had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that’s why…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It finally hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle was finally over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no time to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia, check if there are any survivors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I’ll help…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll help by resting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left the confirmation to Amelia and forced Erwen, who had reached her limit, to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…tended to the fallen explorers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I checked the condition of those who were still breathing, and gently closed the eyes of those who had lost their warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word \"devastating\" couldn't even begin to describe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sven Parab, Meland Kaislan, Liris Marone, Titana Akuraba, Raviyen, James Kala, Bersil Gowland, Erwen, Amelia.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the number of survivors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone else was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel… I found four potions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia returned after searching the bodies of the Rose Knights and Noark explorers, and we distributed the potions to the injured based on the severity of their wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll look for more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Emily…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t enough to fully heal everyone, but it was enough to stabilize their condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We… we’re the only ones who survived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explorers who had regained consciousness looked at each other, their eyes filled with a mixture of relief and despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had gotten to know each other too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anger overshadowed relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even those who didn’t wail like Marone, the mage, clenched their fists, their bodies trembling with grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ashid… his wife was waiting for him. Priest Eriabosti… she had a child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bentis Gerold dreamed of reaching the Abyss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Iribun said he wanted to open a shop after the expedition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They… they didn’t deserve to die here. Why…? Why?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grief turned into anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel… Tell us. What did we do wrong? Why did they have to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fundamental question that had been plaguing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Were we… really that bad? Did we deserve this punishment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll kill that Clan Master when we get back. Even if it’s the last thing I do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That won’t solve anything. We have to expose this. We have to tell everyone what happened here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It won’t be easy, with the royal family involved… but it’s possible. Raviyen is a Dragonkin, and you have a voice in the dwarf tribe, Akuraba.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were a candidate for chieftain, weren’t you, Yandel? And Erwen is an important figure in the fairy tribe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, if we all join forces…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more they spoke, the colder my heart became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to join them, to scream and rage…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…You… you’ll become a giant…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to be the person Didi believed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel! You’re not going to just sit there and do nothing, are you?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at them, their bodies trembling with anger, and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We… we’re going to do nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the only way to survive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kaislan, you’re a knight. You know that even if all our races joined forces and attacked the royal palace, we would all die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Kaislan, who had always been on my side, remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t want to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s impossible for all our races to join forces in the first place. Do you really think they would risk their lives for us? The fate of their entire race?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t think so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reality is different from fairy tales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people in this world made calculated decisions, weighing the risks and benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But…! We have to do something!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if it means we all die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s better than doing nothing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marone, do you really think that? Do you think the dead would be happy if we wasted our lives like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then… then what are we supposed to do?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had never seen this cheerful mage shout like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have to stay silent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can’t say anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have to believe that the main force couldn’t reach us because of unforeseen circumstances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And we have to pretend we didn’t kill the elite Noark force that was being trained on the 8th floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be a great achievement if we revealed the truth…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Rose Knights…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fighting them would be a story to tell for the rest of our lives, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We never encountered them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had to pretend it never happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we acted like we didn’t know anything, those who sent us here would fill in the blanks themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would create a story that made sense to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe they would think that Noark and the Rose Knights clashed by chance while pursuing us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… but what about the dead…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marone’s voice trembled as she trailed off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gritted my teeth and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They… died fighting monsters after escaping the Eye of the Glacier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“M-monsters…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, they were exhausted from escaping the Eye of the Glacier, they had discarded their equipment, and they were out of food. So… it’s not a completely unbelievable story—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re lying! They didn’t die like that! They fought against those strong explorers! We were so exhausted that we thought about just giving up and dying…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But they fought! Until the very end! No one gave up! We won! We actually won…! But… but…!! Monsters? You’re saying they died to monsters…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marone… calm down…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaaargh!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaislan hugged Marone, trying to calm her down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Sven Parab spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… what happens next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We survived after hiding like cowards until the labyrinth closed. That’s the ending of our expedition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. It’s definitely the safest option. But…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at me and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a firm tone I had never heard from him before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no hostility in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’ll do as you say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can tell just by looking at your eyes. You’re the one who hates this the most.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was speechless, and Akuraba stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not… planning to stay silent forever, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akuraba stepped back, and then James Kala spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll… try my best. I’ll have to pretend I don’t know anything when I see the Clan Master… But it’s better than watching my comrades die…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel his determination, even with his eyes closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I approached the other members and confirmed their decisions one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when I was done…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liris Marone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I approached the last remaining mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked up at me and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“······.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long do we have to endure this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if I had to be honest…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A very long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even years wouldn’t be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>71st day of the expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The icy cave of the 7th floor, Ice Rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing on the frozen ground, the frigid air seeping into our bones…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we wait… if waiting is enough…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it wasn’t a burning rage…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a cold, unwavering anger that wouldn’t be extinguished by time…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll… wait too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We engraved it in our hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>",2403,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","a5a8a4d02ab4acfd88343ef64ce013ca3e64400e21228e9a35aadb4f4f1ade17","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-430","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-428",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]